The Maltese Falcon (1941 film)

The Maltese Falcon is a 1941 film noir directed by John Huston in his directorial debut. Hustons screenplay was based on the novel of the same name by Dashiell Hammett. The film stars Humphrey Bogart as private investigator Sam Spade and Mary Astor as his femme fatale client. Gladys George, Peter Lorre, and Sydney Greenstreet costar, with Greenstreet appearing in his film debut. The story follows a San Francisco private detective and his dealings with three unscrupulous adventurers, all of whom are competing to obtain a jewelencrusted falcon statuette.

In 1539 the Knight Templars of Malta, paid tribute to Charles V of Spain, by sending him a Golden Falcon encrusted from beak to claw with rarest jewelsbut pirates seized the galley carrying this priceless token and the fate of the Maltese Falcon remains a mystery to this day In 1941 San Francisco, private investigators Sam Spade Humphrey Bogart and Miles Archer Jerome Cowan meet prospective client Ruth Wonderly Mary Astor. She claims to be looking for her missing sister, who is involved with a man named Floyd Thursby. Wonderly is to meet Thursby. After receiving a substantial retainer, Archer agrees to follow her that night and help get her sister back. ........

Source: Wikipedia